HAVE YOU SIGNED UP?
Operation InAsMuch is NEXT SATURDAY, March 28……Have you signed up to help? Sign up
opportunities are on the bulletin board outside the kitchen. Please be in prayer about how you can be a part of
this day of community outreach
Operation InAsMuch Needs
Bud vases are needed for Operation InAsMuch. If you have any, please bring to the church office.
Shower for Teen Mothers needs new or gently used baby items. We have names of 20 girls that will be
participating in the shower for you. All donations should be dropped off at the church office or contact Susan
Culbreth 965-9141
PRAYER CORNER FOR OPERATION INASMUCH
On Saturday, March 28th, teams from First Baptist Church will be going throughout the community to
spread God’s love and to fulfill God’s command to share the Gospel. Let’s continue to pray for this
project and ask God for His guidance, provision, and empowerment.
- Pray that God will open our eyes to see those in need (Acts 8:26-36)
- Pray for wisdom and courage to effectively reach our community (James 1:5; Romans 11:33)
- Pray that those who can’t physically serve, unite with us in prayer (Ephesians 6:18)
- Pray for God to work in our hearts to achieve His purpose in this event. (Acts 13:1-2)
- Pray that God will go ahead of us to prepare the hearts of those we will contact (Col. 4:2-3)
The OIAM Prayer Team meets each Wednesday evening from 6:00 – 6:15 in the church library for focused prayer.
Please join us!

Visit the FBC Website and click on the prayer tab for the weekly OIAM devotional. http://fbcsmithfield.org
Mark Your Calendar for
REVIVAL
March 29-April 1
Guest Preacher will be Larry Harper

YOUTH NEWS
FBC Youth Group will meet Sunday, March 22 at 6:00 p.m. for Snack Supper followed by Bible Study. Wallace Spragins, Meganne Hurt, Addison & Molly Grantham, Hope, Heather & Holly Rabil, Olivia Stevens, Birttany Talton and Edward & Allison Woodall are responsible for Snack Supper.

CASWELL
When: May 15 – 17, Cost: $235
Deposit: $135.00 by or before March 29
It’s time to sign-up! Sign up and pay a deposit from March 15 through March 29!

SPRING BEACH RETREAT DATES
Sr. High - April 24 -26 $50 due by or before April 11

7th & 8th Grade – May 15-16 $50 due by for before May 3

ATTENTION ALL 3rd thru 6th GRADERS!!!
(must have completed 3rd grade in 2009)
PASSPORTkids! Camp is June 20 – 23 (Sat – Tues) in Lynchburg, VA. . Sign-up soon, spaces fill up quick. We have still have space for 3 boys and 8 girls. Contact the church office with a $30.00 deposit to hold your space! Total Cost: $130 Chaperones currently signed up to go – Shannon Council & Valerie Vann/Male Chaperones to be announced.

CHILDREN’S SAFETY COMMITTEE
In keeping with our purpose, the Children’s Safety Committee remains hard at work to “establish and recommend policies for the safety of our preschool, children, youth and their volunteers involved in these ministries of First Baptist Church Smithfield.” Kathy Hopkins, a BSCNC Consultant, has toured and evaluated FBC Smithfield’s current ministry set ups involving newborns to teens. She has met and shared with us her observations which we will use to help guide us in our task. We will be issuing updates on a regular basis to keep everyone informed. Please continue to be in prayer for our committee as we work with diligence and commitment in service to God and our FBC family. If you have any questions please feel free to contact any of our CSC members: Michelle Ball (Chairperson), Tommy Cook, Susan Culbreth, Brad Felts, Jerry Ferguson, John Fox, Bryan Harris, Bryan House, Margie Littlefield, Marie Mobley, Leah Thorndyke, June Ward, Renee Wooters

SENIOR FEST AT CHOWAN
Join older adults from all over Eastern NC on Thursday, March 26 at Chowan University for a “Senior Fest.” Morning session features Bill Leslie, WRAL TV anchor, and afternoon features Ruby Fulbright, Executive Director WMU of NC. Breakout interest sessions late morning on topics of interest to older adults, lunch is included. Cost is $20 (lunch and transportation) Leave church at 7:30 a.m. (eat breakfast first), arrive back around 5:30 p.m. Sign up and pay in the church office NOW (past due).

OUR KNOWN SICK
Mac Stacy (Wake), Joyce Wright (Home), Lucille Stevens (JMH), Shirley Prevette (Home)
The book
Prayers of Rev. John L. Ryberg
(1969 – 1984)
is now available to order.
Paperback is $10
Hardback is $20.
If you would like a copy of this book, please place your order with payment in the church office.

“Look to our church today, the fellowship as it were, that it may be a true and a genuine fellowship in Christ – not just a group of people self-satisfied in their selection of each other or looking for somebody else to receive in a condescending way. But let this be a fellowship where every man denies himself in favor of his neighbor, where each of us, because we would be like Jesus, strives honestly and sincerely to love his neighbor as himself.”
--Rev. John L. Ryberg

“John Ryberg always spoke his mind. Not everybody liked that about him. Not everybody liked what he had to say. But everybody knew him to be a man of integrity, a true man of God. That trait is reflected in the prayers on these pages. His Sunday morning prayer set the tone for the morning’s worship and for the message that would soon follow. They, like his sermons, were provoking, inspiring, often challenging. He was our pastor from 1960 until his death, December 13, 1984. For 23 years Mr. Ryberg challenged us to be ‘intellectually respectable, socially responsible and spiritually redemptive.’
--William H. Perry

DISASTER RELIEF TRAINING
NCBM is offering training April 3 – 4 in Clinton, NC, and May 1-2 in Greensboro, NC. Basic training is Friday afternoon until 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. If you were trained in 2002 or later you can recertify by attending Saturday from 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. If you are interested, please go to www.ncmissions.org to register.

PASTOR’S CLASS OUTING
There will be an outing for Pastor’s Class participants on Monday, March 23. We will be going to Rainbow Lanes in Clayton, leaving the church at 3:40 and return to the church at approximately 6:30 p.m. The cost is $9 per person (which includes 2 games of bowling, 5 tokens, 1 Himalaya ticket.) We will have a snack at the church before leaving. If your child plans to attend this outing, please complete the permission form sent home this past Monday and return to the church with the $9.00 the day of the outing, or you may bring it to the church office any day prior to Monday, March 23.

JBA SENIOR ADULT RALLY
Thursday April 2 is JBA Senior Adult Rally at Parrish Memorial Church. Morning program, covered dish lunch. Watch later Visitors for more details.

CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to Michael and Amity Ferguson on the arrival of their infant daughter, Baker Field Ferguson. The proud grandparents are Jerry and Mary Nell Ferguson.

THANK YOUS
Thank you to our church family for the cards of sympathy and the friendship shown at the loss of my sister-in-law. Our church family is very special to us. Leah and Eddie Thorndyke

Thank you to this wonderful loving church family for all the support during the illness and death of Bob McLamb. The countless acts of kindness including visits, prayers, phone calls and delicious food meant so much to all of us during these difficult days. With deep appreciation and love, Vel, Lou Ann, Beth and our families.

RYBERG SCHOLARSHIP
Any high school senior interested in applying for the John L. Ryberg Memorial Scholarship should pickup an application from the church office. The deadline for submitting a completed application to the church office is Friday, May 8th. If applicants or their parents have any questions, please contact Mary Nell Ferguson at 989-8481.

BAPTIST CHILDREN’S HOMES
ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE
The annual food drive for the Baptist Children’s Homes will be April 13th and 14th at JCC. We will collect paper products again this year. So start collecting. Watch the Visitor for more information on dates you can begin dropping off supplies at the church office storage room. If you would like to make a monetary donation Harold and Carolyn Tharrington will shop for supplies for you.

ATTENTION FBC FAMILIES
IT’S TIME FOR THE
2009-2010
WEEKDAY EARLY EDUCATION
AFTER SCHOOL CARE
AND
SUMMER ADVENTURES
REGISTRATION
Weekday Early Education:
2 year olds (DO NOT have to be potty trained), 3 year olds and 4-5 year olds

After School Care And Summer Adventures
K-6th grade

It’s time to get registered! First Baptist Families registration is March 19, 20 and 23. If you are interested in any of these programs for your children, please register before public registration day on the 24th. Registration forms may be picked up in the office or can be downloaded from the church website at www.fbcsmithfield.org (click on Education). For more information call Margie Littlefield (ASC, SA) at 934-1829 and June Ward (WEE) at 934-9771.

SYMPATHY
We express our Christian sympathy to Edith Dail in the recent homegoing of her sister.

FROM THE PULPIT

Greeters: Doug & Glenda Strickland

OPPORTUNITIES OF THE WEEK

* Childcare provided

2009
General Fund:
General Fund:
Budget needs per week: $16,462.33
Received as of 03/15/09 $10,512.91
Budget needs Year to Date $181,085.60
Received Year to Date $157,701.92

Building Fund:
Received 03/15/09 $350.0